An increasing volume of sensitive personal and financial information is being stored electronically, in locations accessible through electronic networks such as the internet. This information has value to parties who have illicitly gained access to such information by impersonating parties authorized to access information. Current email and web browser technology does not provide adequate defense against such deception. Furthermore, when defenses are deployed, legitimate communications can be impacted, i.e. by being classified as spam or phishing.
Accordingly, there is a need to protect users from electronic fraud, and to protect legitimate communications.